Theresa May must work on her Brexit sales pitch

Share

Regional Cabinets are always a bit gimmicky. The idea that putting ministers on a train to somewhere outside of London would make them take different decisions has always struck me as somewhat absurd. But today’s, as Katy said earlier, has taken on a particular significance because it marked the beginning of Theresa May’s attempt to sell her Brexit plan to the public.

This plan needs some selling. Polling for the Sunday Times showed that only 12 per cent of voters think it would be good for Britain, compared to 43 per cent who disagree.

May’s appearance today, though, is unlikely to have moved the dial much. There’s no clear top line from it. I doubt that the fact that Theresa May likes cooking because you get to eat the food as well as make it was the intended top line.

If May is going to sell the Chequers deal to the public, she needs a crisp case for it. She needs to acknowledge the trade offs involved and explain why she thinks they are worth it. Until May does this, Chequers will continue to be defined by its opponents whether they be in Britain or Brussels.